Greensteel Australia will breathe new life into the former Tubemakers administration building on Industrial Drive, Mayfield as part of plans to introduce steel production to Newcastle.
Constructed by Stewarts and Lloyds in 1933, the site began pipe and tube manufacturing in December 1934 before eventually merging into Tubemakers Australia.
The empty building stands as a memorial to the inter-war architecture of the era. Its symmetrical brickwork facade, formal roofline and clock establish the building's significance among the steel fabrication workshops behind it.
The building is often compared to its larger and older neighbour, the former BHP Administration Building on Selwyn Street.
Hundreds of office staff and executives worked throughout the two-storey building at 51 Industrial Drive for decades.
Their presence lingers everywhere from the worn steps and iron staircase to the original hardwood fixtures.
On the back wall of the large office to the left of the main entrance is a massive safe.
The brass plaque on the heavy steel door reads "Fire and thief resisting - Protex Regd".
Inside the safe's ceiling extends several metres above the door level and provides a hint of the vast fortune that was once stored inside.
Greensteel Australia president Patrick Buchan said the company was keen to restore the building to its former glory.
"We are very much aware of the historical significance of this site and this building and what it means to Newcastle and to Australia," Mr Buchan said.
"We will make sure that we preserve the historical integrity of this building while upgrading its interior as a modern 21st century working space."
The company hopes its electric arc steel mill will be operating on the 70,000-square-metre site by the first quarter of 2028.
The mill would produce up to 600,000 tonnes of finished steel a year and directly employ more than 200 full-time staff.
The roster would include fitters, electricians, crane drivers, metallurgists and engineers, with more jobs expected to be created during construction and through Hunter supply chains.
The site would be producing finished steel for the housing, transport and energy sectors.
Greensteel expects the extra local supply to reduce the construction industry's reliance on imported steel and, over time, help stabilise and slash steel prices for Australian builders.
Because the process produces no direct carbon dioxide, it will reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's construction industry and help support state and federal housing targets, including the national goal of building 1.2 million new homes.
